French FM: Israel rights don't justify 'carnage'

Israel's right to security does not justify the "massacre" of civilians, France's foreign minister said Monday in unusually harsh language against a close ally. The French president said Gaza was among the wars that called into question any ability to remain neutral.

"How many more deaths must there be to stop what must be called the carnage in Gaza? The tradition of friendship between France and Israel is old and Israel's right to security is total, but this right does not justify the killing of children and the massacre of civilians," Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said.